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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side handled this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid back on track. Observers noted a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the probable option. Yet, the game was decided as a contest at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of this standing. Roma have eyes again on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the best in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will shortly have major ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s dismal tenure as the head coach continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides lined up. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock his team ahead. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent results in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound signing from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but appears unwilling or unable to use them.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period possession thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, typically a raucous venue on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in message, depicted the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner thinks about all this. Ultimately, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a takeover of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a rebellious mood in the air. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to determine Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The series of changes from each side meant this game closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, reached the point of just participating.